Fluid sampler for well bores



April 29, M' W' KRlEGEL FLUID SAMPLER FOR WELL BORES April 29, 1952 M. w. KRIEGEL FLUID SAMPLER FOR WELL BORES 2 SHEETS- Smm 2 Filed Sept. 16, 1947 POSITION-i (VALVE OPEN Fol EVAQUATION 'POSITION-2 (VALvE QLOSED I GWEQED INTO HOLE) poslvlom -l- (VALVE GLQEED AT @o1-TOM OF HOLE) TME/ Alo NmH @wir wopm s oww @um V5 monroe CJKrL'ege nvenjoor' Patented Apr. 29, 1952 FLUID SAMPLER FOR WELL BORES Monroe W. Kriegel, Tulsa, Okla., assigner to Standard Oil Development Company, a, corporation of Delaware Application September 16, 1947, Serial No. 774,313

2 Claims. 1

The present invention is concerned with animproved method and device for taking samples from the bottom-holes of wells and the like. 'I'he invention is more particularly concerned with a special device by which it is possible to take a sample at the bottom of a well hole and to transport this sample to the laboratory or desired destination point without exposing the sample between the point of taking the same and the point of destination. My invention comprises utilizing a particularly improved device which is characterized especially in that the sample container itself is detachable from the operating mechanism by which the valves are opened and closed at the appropriate time on the sample container.

vIn the petroleum industry, particularly in the rening and production of petroleum oils, it is very desirable and essential that samples be taken from the bottom of well holes, storage tanks and the like, in order to determine the characteristics of the fluid and thus govern subsequent drilling, producing or refining operations. For eX- ample, in the production of petroleum oils from relatively shallow or deep bore holes it is absolutely essential that samples of the subterranean uid be secured. Various procedures have been directed toward securing representative samples in an economical manner. For instance one procedure is to lower into the bore hole a sample container comprising a rather complicated'mechanism for the operation of the valves,which mechanism is an integral part of the sample container itself. It is thus necessary upon obtaining the sample to transport to the laboratory or other pla-ce of destination not only the sample container itself, but the mechanism which is designed to properly operate the necessary valves. This not only increases the cost of transportation, but in many instances the mechanism itself is damaged or impaired due to the excessive amount of transporting recluired. It is obvious that the cost of a particular'sample container will be appreciably increased if it is necessary to design a valve operating mechanism as an integral part of each sample container. In order to overcome this disadvantage to some degree, wheneverl possible, it has been the practice to transfer the sample from the bottom-hole sampler utilized to less costly containers for transportation to the laboratory or place of destination. This transfer operation may impair the quality of the sample and in addition is costly and time consuming.

I have now discovered a method and device by (ci. 16s-1)' which these obstacles in bottom-hole sampling are substantially overcome. My device comprises a distinct and separate valve operating mechanism to which actual sample containers are readily and easily attached. The entire mechanism, comprising the valve operating device and the sample container itself, is lowered'into the area in which it is desired to secure a sample. After the sample has been taken, the valve of the sample container itself is closed in the area in which the sample is taken and the entire mechanism then raised to the surface. The container containing the desired sample is detached from the valve operating mechanism and handled in any manner desired.

My invention and device maybe readily understood by the drawings illustrating embodiments of the same. Figures 1 and 1a illustrate the device, showing both the valve operating mechanism and the Adetachable sample container,-Figure la being an upper continuation of Figure 1. Figure 2 illustrates various positions of the plug valve designed to secure proper sampling.

Referring speciiically to Figures 1 and 1a,v I3 designates the sample container itself whichis positioned in a supporting case II. The supporting case is so designed as to give proper support to the sample container I3. It is preferred that the supporting case comprise a cylindrical element having a rather heavy nose section I2 into which the end of the sampling container snugly ts.4 Attached to the upper end of the sample container I3 is a valve I4, the position of which may be regulated by regulating element 2B.

The upper end of valve I4 comprises a threaded element which is securely screwed into the head section 6 of supporting chamber II. Head section 6 is detachably fastened to supporting case II by suitable threads to provide for removal of sample container I3 and to ensure adequate support for the same when it is in place within case Il. Supporting case II may be readily detached from head section 6 by unscrewing the same.

Sampling container I3 and valve I4 are also readily removable from the head section 6. Valve 3| is positioned in head section 6. The operation of valve 3i, which comprises a plug valve or equivalent, will be hereinafter described. vValve 3| comprises a plug unit containing a suitable port 38 which will enable uid to flow through valve 3|, down conduit 32 in section plate 6, through valve I4 and into sample cham- .ber I3. It will be seen that valve 3| is tapered l.attached to thehead section 6. AVvalve..3| is .opened `andsample container evacuatedfthrough port 36. After evacuation of the sample container to .the desireddegree, `valve 3. and that it is held in place by compression spring I6 and washer 8, the latter being attached to the smaller end of the plug by screw l5.

The position of the plug valve 3| which determines whether it is open or closed, is actuated by a rotating element I 0, which action is also hereinafter described. Valve 3| can also be 0perated. manually by turning shank 1. A pin 23 holds element I in place on shank 1. The top of the head section 6 is rigidly attached to guide rod elements 4. The guide rod elements 4 are rigidly attached to top plate 2.

Bolt 34 contains a ring segment 33 at the top by means of which the entire mechanism may be raised or lowered. Bolt 34 moves freely through xed top plate 2 and is rigidly attached to movable plate 3 by means.l of ,nuts 35. Movable plate 3 moves freely along guide rods 4. Two spring elements I1 are positioned onl the guide rods 4 between movable plate 3 and fixed topv plate2. Adjustable. stop. nuts..|9 arey at- Lta'chedto bolt element 34 as illustrated. ...A port s assembly having. a sample. portv 33 is. .rigidly .attachedi tothe top of head section 6. through -`which fluids-.enter and vow through valve 3|,

conduitl32, valve |4.and into container I3.

12 The operation ofmy device is as follows.

The supporting case isthen At this point ing; means 20.

3 I is closed by turning shank1.

`I The; device is then-.lowered tothearea: wherein 'it :isdesired to collect .the fluid sample. rpoint1ring...33 is jerked bythe lowering means. ;This.jerking,` due to the. inertia .of .the device, will cause .movable -plate 3 to: .move upward; along` guide vposts 4. against the actionof Asprings |1.

At; this The extent towhich the movable plate 3imoves alongithe guide'posts. is determined bythe dis- 4tance vbetween'nut I9 and xed plate..2. L 'Ihe Aupward motion of plate r3xrelativeto valve 3| is` utilized to operate valve 3| bymeans of valve operatingelement I0. This motion is transferredto element I0 through flexible line or wire -'31. which is attached at one end to movable plate 3 by fastening means'28. Line 31 passes through opening 21 in head section 6 and around groove 1 25 'in operating plate 9 toa fastening-set-screw `26. i element Ill, and shank 1, as will be more fully explained in conjunction with the description of Figure 2. vThe rotation of plate 9 isopposed Motion of line 31 acts to rotate plate 9,

desired quantity of sample, ring 33 is again jerked and valve 3| vclosed as described. The entire mechanism is raised to the surface, case is removed. and valve I4 closed by operating means l 20. the head section 6.

The sample container is then removed from v''llhe operation of valve 3| by operating means ||1 is illustrated by sketches A, B, C; andD of Figure 2, showing four operating positions of the valve. As in' Figure 1, shank 1 l'is' attached4 to operating element I0 which comprises a notched The sample container .I3.is attached to the bottom 4oi head section 6 and valve I4 opened by operaturged into engagement with the notches in plate I0 Aby spring-means 39. In the position shown by sketch B the valve 3| is closed. After the .device has beenlowered to the bottom of the hole and-jerked yas described, a force will be transmitted through means 31 to plate 9 caus- .ing fitto. rotate in a counterclockwise direction.

Due to the fact that plate 9 is latched to plate I0 4by `means of latching means 38, this force is transmitted to plate .I3 causing it to rotate in 1.a; counterclockwise. direction. This .ingturn ro- V.tatesplug*valve*3| to an open-position.

thisedevice comes into equilibrium, springs I1'. positioned onguide post 4' react, forcing'. the

movable plate; 3 downwardly into its original position prior to the jerking action. At this point, transmitting means 31|' becomes slack.

Acting against the countercloclzwise motion of plate 3. is acoil springmeans I6, which as pre- Viously' described is attached at its ends to plate i 9 and head'section 6. Thus as line 31 slackens, l plate' 9- will -be rotated in av clockwise direction, and latchingfmeans 38 will be dropped back into the.'.secondnotchof plate I9 whichY will be in the, position villustrated by sketch" C. After. a sufcient time has been permitted. to. elapse so -as .to secure .the desired amountl of sample,"ring -nieansA tvisyagain jerked and the action is as gdescribed hereinbefore. .The valve will be-closed by the;- rotation of :plate I '3: which closes 'valve The -positionofgl plate I0 upon the'closure of the-'valve--bythesecondjerkng motion is Hasshown in'sketch D.

v4It is to be. understood thatmodications with- Y in -the :general concept of my .invention may Vbe employed. For example, the 'device-may be Vmade up of any suitable material, and equiv- Vaient valves and the like may befemployed. Al-

though my invention isparticularly directed toward securing samplesin bore holes. .it is to be .understood that zit;;may be. readily adapted to Vsecuring fluid samples .from any4 fluid body.

'Thezinventiongis-notxto be. limited by v.any theoryfasftomode ofioperationybut only in and' by. the. following claims.

' What is elaimed'is:

l.: A devicefortaking fluid samples from a well bore comprising a head section, a first valve contained in" saidheadsection and provided with at least-two'uid ports, a sample container detachably-'connected to said head section, said sample container having an' opening fitting into one of'fsaid'iluid ports in said head section'valve.

' a second valvein said .sample container adapted to vclose said opening,v verticalY guide rods attached to 'said headl section,: a fixed lplate attached' to' the top of 'said' guide rods and provided .withav central opening, a' bolt'slidably fitted intosaid: central opening, a' movable plate attached to the'bottom of saidbolt, spring means placed between said fixed plate and said movable plate, meansfor attaching. said bolt to a suspending cable, and means. for communicating motion from said movable plate to said head section valve whereby said last-named valve will be actuated upon the imparting of a jerking motion to a supporting cable to which said bolt is attached.

2. Device according to claim v1 in which said head section valve is a plug valve and in which said means for communicating motion from said movable plate to actuate said head section valve comprises a notched plate attached to the plug element of said plug valve, said notched plate having at least two notches in its periphery, a control plate disposed for rotation in a plane substantially perpendicular to the rotational axis of said plug element and having a central opening receiving said notched plate, latching means attached to said control plate adjacent its central opening and adapted to engage a notch on said notched plate, and means for communicating vertical motion of said movable plate into rotational motion of said control plate in its plane of rotation.

MONROE 1V. KRIEGEL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

